Andover Handover

Ex- RAF HS 780 Andover C1 XS637 and XS597 arrival at London Southend Airport, November 1993. Testing and crew training flights with XS597, re-registered as 3D-ATS, November 1994. XS637 repainted and registered as 9Q-CJJ.
Music;
'Third Time' by Jingle Punks.
VHS-C video recording.

[@awatt1404]

Flew many times on this type of aircraft in the Canadian Arctic (Bradley then First Air). R.R. engines have a lovely sound. This was a solid and reliable aircraft and it could be operated in quite rough conditions. Thanks for posting.

[@JustProps]

Have never flown in an Andover but experienced the 748 for many years, a solid dependable aircraft that sounded amazing. After 60 years the sound of a RR Dart remains like no other.

[@letsseeif]

I'm Australian and about 2010 holidaying in New Zealand, and visiting the RNZAF Air Station/base air Museum at Christchurch, I saw a HS Andover, in the loading 'kneeling' position. An old 'RAFNZ Type ' with moe, blazer etc. was surprised when I identified it correctly. Had no idea that they were Downunder. (ps. Aussie had a few HS148's based at RAAF Fairburn Canberra ACT for shorter VIP flights, mainly pre Millenium.) thanks for the video.

[@holmbank52]

Lovely to see the old beasts again. I claim XS 637 as 'my' aircraft. We collected XS637 from Woodford on March 14th 1967 - I was the young co-pilot, Jock Thomson was my Captain, and we flew to the our base at Abingdon. After a few more training flights we set off in that aircraft on 23rd March (and 5 other aircraft - I think) to reform No 52 Squadron at Seletar, Singapore. Route: Abingdon, Istres, Luqa, Benina, Akrotiri, Baghdad, Muharraq, Masirah, Bombay, Calcutta, Bangkok, Seletar. Arrived 29 March 1967. Some time later, one notable flight I had on that very aircraft was a medevac flight, with Captain Denis Pasco, bringing a gurkha child medevac from Anduki to Singapore Changi. Having waited all day to go, we collected the child overnight and flying back to Singapore encountered the usual Cbs and lost the weather radar, then we had a total electrics failure and fell out the side of a cb with about 80 degrees of bank. We had many tripped circuit breakers and very few working instruments. We couldn't reset them because some of the main circuit breakers were 'under the floor' and they had also tripped. We then found a gap in between cbs and 'flew triangles'. We were seen by Singapore radar and met by a 'scrambled' aircraft which we formated on, eventually landing in Changi about 24 hours after our last sleep. After a local conversion to Captain, I flew XS637 in Asia then return to UK (no 46 Sqn) and flew XS597 and XS637. XS597 was used quite a lot for VIP flying and I flew Lord Carrington (defence Secretary) several times in '71 and a variety of other ministers in the following months, as well as performing at quite a number of air displays. For the parachute drop by Prince Charles (July '71) I was flying a different aircraft - XS601 - The Imperial War Museum has some newsreel of that. Oh. And BTW the aircraft could comfortably be used on a strip of only 1200 FEET - 6 degree approach and full reverse before touch-down Dowty under-carriage built to take a ROD of 2400 ft/min.

[@robinpinnock2678]

Many thanks for the interesting background info; happy I was able to record some of the sights and sounds for you.

[@peterdarnell7627]

A very elegant plane

[@patakanz]

This aircraft looks better than the original HS748 did. I used to love watching the RNZAF display this type at airshows. They really used to throw it around.

[@mickboakes7023]

Love that R.R. Dart Whistle. Used t take the kids after a day at St Mary’s Bay up to Lympne to watch Skyways 748,s operating on the grass. Ah, those were the days.

[@GWAYGWAY1]

My Father worked for skyways started off my interest in Aviation there and at Lydd going with him, my first flight was in a superfreighter from Lympne.

[@bargearse57]

. . . Flew in these for “air experience “ with the ATC at summer camp on Thorney Island 1970 . . . Happy days 😀

[@rolonow12]

In 1966 as a Cpl rigger, I blagged a lift from Bahrein back to Khormaksar via Salalah. It was VIP with a very friendly AVM on board. He shared his ice cream!

[@richarddixon3622]

I flew many times in 637 between 1984 and 1986 when I was ADC to the Commander in Chief Allied Forces Northern Europe. The last Captain was Jerry and co-pilot was Dave (surnames escape me now!). Lovely aircraft, great crew.

[@plodus8204]

I also flew many times on XS637 when on the staff of CinC North,General Sir Peter Whiteley,77-79, I agree,a great aircraft and crew.

[@letsseeif]

In the late nineties on a trip from Aussie, I turned up and saw and identified an Andover on ground display at the GA airport in Auckland New Zealand. The old aviator there had never seen a 'civi' turn up and as 'quick as a wink', identify an HS Andover. I simply said, "a military drop slide conversion of HS748. The old bloke aghast said, "I say old chap, how did you do that?" I replied, "I'm a pilot and an aviation type enthusiast and I take every magazine & book on planes." And that was that. Apart from the fact that our trip coach driver later told me that in an earlier life he captained HS748's in New Zealand. When I inferred as to whether he saw bus driving 'as a comedown from flying passenger planes', he simply relied, "No. Driving a bus is just another job & I wasn't in love with planes." to which one the spot, I nearly dropped dead.

[@SOUTHENDAVIATION]

Such a fantastic video Robin! I really hope I get the chance to see the 748 in my time.

[@robinpinnock2678]

I hope so too. The short clip of G-BOHY is the only 748 action I have on video.!

[@bobingram6912]

Memories of airshows when the stretched camouflaged versions landed, reversed engines, stopped on a sixpence and did their knees bend party piece to disgorge jeeps and troops. Oh, and the whistling Darts!!!! Are there any of these forgotten workhorses around today, never see or hear anything about them?

[@fredtedstedman]

Smart aircraft , Iloved the planes of this era , before the jets took over . Wales UK

[@craigpennington1251]

The last owners probably did not maint thus it being scrapped a few short years later. A shame for such a nice aircraft.

[@regregan6852]

Andovers have a unique sound with their dart engines just like 757s have with their RRs.

[@HenryChapman434]

The first aircraft I ever flew in (1974) ✅

[@voeoxford3554]

I love airplanes turboprop...I remember VARIG Airlines lockheed L-188 ... congratulations Robin Pinnock..from Brazil.

[@robinpinnock2678]

L-188s at Southend in three part video - Electra Power. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mn7YoKWwfNJli9E

[@voeoxford3554]

watched Robin...nice vídeos Electra power....thanks !

[@Blackmamba12345]

I remember there were some Andovers at Boscombe Down as late as 2008 ... when I went there to fly the Grob Tutor as part of the CCF Air Experience flights.

[@andrewnoonan4044]

three aircraft I would love to see as 1/72 injection molded kits. : Britannia, HS748/Andover and Shorts Belfast.

[@maskedavenger2578]

The last time I seen these type of twin engined turbo props ,was at Liverpool Airport circa 1998 .I think they were used for airmail flights during the night .

[@hootnroar]

Spent 3 years on Andover’s in the RAF. 46, 84 squadron and the Andover OCU at RAF Abingdon.

[@jackyclaiborne2142]

The Rolls Royce Dart engines seem to produce more jet noise that virtually drowns out the sound of the props. With the Pratt & Whitney engines of the DeHaviland Dash 8, you get more of the prop sound. .

[@sunxxone]

Worked on the Dart engines, H&S Aviation, Vector Aerospace.

[@davidjackson8164]

Flew to Germany on one these when I served on queens flight raf benson early 1970s

[@Blackmamba12345]

Shame it was scrapped .. beautiful aircraft.

[@jeremyfine1464]

I believe this was the aircraft type that the Queen used assigned as 'the Royal Flight' and Prince Phillip enjoyed to take the controls. I think he was type-rated on Andover's.

[@AccessAir]

Very nice!! Such a waste that only a few years after getting them they were scrapped...

[@AccessAir]

I love the takeoff run starting at 7:30 or so. Thats the kind of takeoff run I would like to hear, if you have one, of the Herald. Fly by takeoffs are okay but I like to actually hear spool/throttle up and takeoff run...

[@danieleregoli812]

Jesus, the shrieking Dart gives new meaning to the word turbine power!

[@briananthony4044]

The RNZAF brought 10 of these off you but we didn't keep them long, changes of government has that effect. Helped to lightened the load on our Hercs at the time.

[@briananthony4044]

A pair were given a VIP interior for government use but were later replaced with a pair of 757's.

[@patakanz]

The RNZAF had them for 19 years. I think that's quite a while. Maybe not compared to the P3s or C130s.

[@regregan6852]

Yea RNZAF actually had them for quite awhile and we had the 727s before the 757s so technically those "replaced" the VIP role.

[@peterlowen5132]

Good memories. I was on 1 Sqn RNZAF in 1977 when we received the Andover to replace Bristol Freighters and DC3s. They served NZ well. Pity they weren’t replaced with another twin engine military transport aircraft.

[@theahepisodes7547]

This was named after my town.

[@jazzmglintock5008]

Royal New Zealand Air force use to operate And overs C1's as well

[@m.hstudioproductions6642]

Looks like a British version of the SAAB 340.

[@eugeneoreilly9356]

It's earlier and much bigger also alot more powerful especially the military Andover version.Looks kinda like the SAAB but as big as a DHC Buffalo.

[@andrewkay9592]

Remember the Andovers well from my days at RAF Northolt where they were with 32 squadron. Awful high pitched noise from the Dart engines though!

[@arguato]

A very old aircraft

[@robinpinnock2678]

Not as old as me!

[@arguato]

Robin Pinnock it is not old then, a little usted nothing more

[@philipbahia659]

it sounds almost like a jet engine

[@chriscox827]

Not entirely sure but my Father may have delivered it to Congo..

[@antdrag4754]

It's a nice song of turboprop egines....... )

[@BigLittlePilot]

9Q-CLL is actually being restored to flying right now. I am not sure if its the same serial though. www.jetphotos.com/photo/8429989

[@robinpinnock2678]

Good to see one of these old birds still going, but the current 9Q-CLL is ex-RAF XS789, not XS637.

[@eltfell]

Here's Andover handover over Dover, over. Sorry...

[@chrisw1018]

Very nice. Complements my video - check out: 'Andovers at Boscombe Down'. Do you have any footage of them starting their engines?

[@robinpinnock2678]

Thanks Chris, just seen your video. I had the advantage of some close up views. which were possible at Southend back then; not so much these days.! I always missed the full start-up with these, but I have plenty of Viscounts to edit, so Dart sounds will be back again.!

[@chrisw1018]

Can't wait! Love the Darts!

[@howardfisher5127]

WheniwasintheAtciflewinoneatRafAndoer

[@britfrog]

i can't wax lyrical about these a/c, they were horrible and most unsuited for hot and high airfields, they suffered hot starts almost on a daily basis was well glas when they were replaced by 737's

[@robinpinnock2678]

Always good to hear folks hands on experiences. I'm just a guy at the fence with a camera who knows very little!

[@sunxxone]

RDa10 motors